2017 Valpo Football - Non-Game Thread

[VULB#62]

Now that the Spring Game is behind us, I thought that it might be good to open a thread for general football discussion about the up coming season.  As in the past, we'll always try to have game threads as each game comes up on the schedule.  And if a major issue surfaces that deserves a separate thread, then let's open that up as well.  But this should be a good place to start. 

And to start, I have posted a Facebook video entry by the VU FB staff called Call Outs.  The first one is with Mark LaBarbera interviewd by Ernest Moore, the DC. MLB reviews the history of Valpo FB among other topics.  The FB staff will try to post one each Saturday for a while.

https://www.facebook.com/ernest.moore.54390/videos/1862350937360693/

[VULB#62]

This just showed up on Twitter.  Read about JJ Nunes and his fmily.

[tweet]860873132604874753[/tweet]

[VULB#62]

Reed Jay's CRU story.  Didn't realize he's gone from 180 to 235 in the time he's been at Valpo.

[tweet]865953625444581376[/tweet]

[VUOR63]

180 to 235 is a boy turning into a man.    Good for him for putting in the work necessary to have success.  He sounds like the type of guy who is going to be successful at a school like Valpo: a self-motivated, tenacious worker with the proverbial fire burning inside of him. 

The choice to play small college ball is definitely not for everyone but the guys who choose to buck the trend and pursue college football for what looks like very little in return end up much, much wealthier in the end.  I haven't met a grown man yet in my 11 year professional life who regretted playing small college football--everyone I meet who made that decision would do it all over again in a heart beat.

[VULB#62]

Cool thing is that a 180#  HS linebacker turned himself into a 235# D-I FCS team captain. That's 55 pounds of maturity.

[historyman]

Cool thing is that a 180#  HS linebacker turned himself into a 235# D-I FCS team captain. That's 55 pounds of maturity.

Yep, when I add 55 pounds it's very little muscle and a lot of immaturity.

[VU2624]

Matt Ford who is a recent grad of Lehigh Univ in PA and Coach Dave's alma mater as well has been hired as the new Tight Ends coach. He was an OL at Lehigh. He replaces Coach Caygoz.

[VU2624]

Article on Coach Matt Ford:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/17438/cecchini-adds-ford-to-staff-as-tight-ends-coach/#.WShcnsa1sZZ

[VULB#62]

Article on Coach Matt Ford:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/17438/cecchini-adds-ford-to-staff-as-tight-ends-coach/#.WShcnsa1sZZ

Very young (only 1 year of coaching experience) but he comes from a good program and had a distinguished playing career at Lehigh.  The Valpo staff seems to be able to communicate well within itself, so the knowledge transfer and technique sharpening should go well.  Hope he is a high energy guy.

[VU2624]

Update on 2017 signees.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/17441/valpo-football-adds-to-2017-recruiting-class/#.WS3zNca1sZZ

48 new; said to be 80 returnees; 110 camp attendees; unhappy news for just short of 20 players.

[VULB#62]

Tough delemma for both coaches and the kids affected. But I guess that can be attributed to an increasing level of new talent coming in each year. And saying that, it hopefully means we continue on an upward track.

[usc4valpo]

62 - it is me or is this a put up or shut up year for Valpo football? This is year 4 for Cecchini and I think we need to see success, which for Valpo implies a minimum of 5 wins.

Also, start Seewald!

[vu72]

Not sure about a "put up or shut up" year but I certainly would expect 5 wins.  Coach C is in his fourth year after inheriting a team that won 2 games in three years.  We have won 9 games in three years under this coach including 3 conference wins last year and a win over Butler during his three as coach.

With the number of kids coming in it would seem that finally we will have the depth we've been waiting for.

[Pgmado]

How many of the 48 make it to...

Campus?
End of training camp?
Back for second season?
Senior Day?

[VULB#62]

My guesses below in red.

How many of the 48 make it to...

Campus? 43
End of training camp? (40 including those injured)
Back for second season?  32
Senior Day? 18

[usc4valpo]

Campus 42
End of training cap 39
back for second season 25
seniors 12

[covufan]

Update on 2017 signees.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2016-17/17441/valpo-football-adds-to-2017-recruiting-class/#.WS3zNca1sZZ

48 new; said to be 80 returnees; 110 camp attendees; unhappy news for just short of 20 players.

Looks like the 80 returnees is more like 62.  There might be a few returnees and new players not expected in camp due to injuries, but I'm guessing it can only be 2 or 3.

Still, numbers-wise, this is really good for Cecchini and the coaching staff.

My best guess is that we win at Trinity and have a chance in 6 PFL games - Stetson, Campbell, Marist (hopefully someone will share pictures of the Smits twin towers in their VU/Marist attire), Morehead St, Jacksonville, and Butler.  Good year = 4 PFL wins.  Great year = 5 PFL wins.  Unbelievable year = 6 (or more) PFL wins.

[VU2624]

Looks like the 80 returnees is more like 62.  There might be a few returnees and new players not expected in camp due to injuries, but I'm guessing it can only be 2 or 3. 

Guess again.

As the commercial says "it's happening sweetheart".

[covufan]

Looks like the 80 returnees is more like 62.  There might be a few returnees and new players not expected in camp due to injuries, but I'm guessing it can only be 2 or 3. 

Guess again.

As the commercial says "it's happening sweetheart".

So we should expect 128 to camp?

[VU2624]

Looks like the 80 returnees is more like 62.  There might be a few returnees and new players not expected in camp due to injuries, but I'm guessing it can only be 2 or 3. 

Guess again. As the commercial says "it's happening sweetheart".

So we should expect 128 to camp?

No. 110 as coach said. That means 15-20 non invitees from the vets and they've already been told of the situation.

[VU2624]

Nice message from Ryan Clarke who will be a senior this upcoming season. One thing he mentions is that 9 of the 27 players from his recruiting class will make it to senior year. Last year's class was 12 of 36. The same ratio. I wonder if this is standard for the other programs in the PFL. What it does is have a lot of underclassmen playing significant time.
https://twitter.com/DaveCecchini/status/871031631863271424

[VULB#62]

Nice job Ryan 

[IndyValpo]

Looks like another coach has moved. Ryan Manalac, per his Twitter, is now the DC at D2 Ohio Dominican. Young coach not surprising he takes this opportunity.

[VULB#62]

He went down to go up.  Not sure that's a good decision.

[VU2624]

He went down to go up.  Not sure that's a good decision.

He's gone from Mich St to Valpo to Ohio Dominican in the last three years.

He attended Cincinnati. I'll guess he met his wife at Cincinnati. I'll guess his wife's family is from Ohio. He's from Ohio. Coach Caygoz did something similar. Maybe this is a stage in life in which these guys are trying to figure out if this is what they want to do for the rest of their lives and would prefer to figure it out nearer to their roots.